It's My Birthday

I'm 32 - still don't feel it though

Hello dear hearts

This one is gonna be longish, 32 things, facts, random tidbits, favorites, etc. all about yours truly, because it’s my birthday. So settle in with come coffee (or other beverage) and get ready to know some things.

1. I am a biphasic sleeper. Yes, I promise this is real. I sleep for about 4 to 5 hours, am awake for a couple hours, and then go back to sleep for about 2 more hours. It’s annoying as fuck, lol, and doesn’t work well on my mornings that I am responsible for the kiddo. But I also rest/nap about 30 minutes to an hour every day, so I am getting the sleep I need, technically. Just not all at once.

2. My love of reading, writing, and journaling comes from my mom. We are both speedy readers. Her cursive handwriting is so much better and more legible than mine. Yes, I write in cursive. Also, she actually finishes her journals. I do not. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever finished a journal ever.

3. I am obsessed with holiday themed Little Debbie cakes. I’m currently eating a vanilla cake shaped like a Christmas tree.

4. When I don’t know what to eat, bread is always a good idea. With honey or butter or peanut butter.

5. My hair is naturally blonde, I have dyed it in every shade of red possible, also black, brown, purple, and platinum blonde. I wish I had shapeshifting abilities to change my hair daily.

6. I love collecting coffee mugs. Even though I have no space for it.

7. So far this year, I have read 130 books. DNF’d five and currently have 77 TBR on my Kindle and 57 physical on my TBR pile. One day, I will get a library card here in Michigan damn it.

8. I love watching horror movies, but then immediately have to watch a Disney movie to help me go to sleep. I am not ashamed.

9. I wish adults could get free pizza for reading lots of books. It’s impressive when we do it too! You know, because we have responsibilities that we have to balance. I would also take free coffee.

10. When I was a freshman in college, I worked at the graduate admission office scanning and digitizing previous student files. It was so interesting. Also, discovered last month, that my university still pays the same minimum wage. I worked there from 2009 to 2010.

11. I have moved fifteen times since 2009. Eight different towns, three different states, several couches and guest rooms. Where I am currently in Michigan is the longest I’ve stayed in one place.

12. My favorite way to drink coffee right now is with honey and vanilla almond milk.

13. Sometimes I wish I had one style of clothing. But no. I go from all black to earthy/whites to loose fits to layers to compression athletic wear to dresses. I’m a mood/gender dresser.

14. Once upon a time I was a live in nanny for a 3 almost 4 year old and an almost 2 year old. I really enjoyed it and would have enjoyed it more had I had better boundaries and coping mechanisms back then. But I was 23 and hadn’t really entered my Auntie stage yet.

15. I have a weird sense of home. You know the whole phrase “home is where the heart is?” Well, what happens when your heart is in several places? My heart is in Texas, Michigan, Ireland, England, New Mexico, Colorado…I could go on. But I won’t.

16. My favorite color changes a lot. Currently it’s dark green and dark purple. But also black.

17. When I was in elementary school, I continuously checked out and renewed the Completely Stories of Sherlock Holmes. To this day, I wish I had just kept that book. My school obviously wasn’t missing it.

18. Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce is one of my favorites. If you have read this, let’s be best friends please. It’s what hooked me into fantasy when I was a kid. That and King Arthur stories.

19. I am obsessed with personality quizzes/methods even though I KNOW they don’t tell you everything about a person. Nor does it excuse shitty behavior. My favorites are the Myers-Briggs and Ennegram. For those of you interested, I’m an INFP and Ennegram 4 & 9 (yes, I score within 2 points of 4 and 9, so it’s both).

20. The number 13 is my favorite number. Also 3 and 7.

21. I used to have a personal trainer and he trained both me and my sister at the same time. He could not get over how different we were and how much I cursed while working out. He was always laughing because my sister would tell me to stop and I just kept doing it. He loved our banter. We were his favorites I’m sure.

22. Jobs I’ve had: working in admissions office at UNT, retail at The Children’s Place, Barnes & Noble (+ Cafe), volunteered at yoga studio for reception, live in nanny, concierge desk at a DFW upscale apartment, corporate office for a week, tarot reader, hotel front desk and housekeeping, retail at Earthbound Trading Co, and virtual assistant.

23. I have two small scars in between my first and middle finger on my left hand from popcorn kernels exploding on me when I was a baby.

24. Current celebrity crushes are: Taika Waititi, Rhys Darby, Con O’Neill, Jonathan Bailey, Olly Alexander, Natalie Dormer, Florence Pugh, John Cho, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Oscar Isaac, and Elizabeth Olsen

25. When my sister and I used to not be able to agree on a place to eat dinner, my mom drove through different drive thrus for us. Now that I am an adult, my comfort fast meal is going through Taco Bell for a taco and nachos, McDonald’s for fries and a Dr Pepper, Wendy’s for chicken nuggets for frosty. It’s the best when you’re an adult and can do what you want.

26. I did theater all four years of high school. One day I’ll write about the experience because it saved me in many ways, but it was unethical in a lot of ways too and the director treated us like adults. Which…in hindsight. Not great.

27. It is one of my goals in the next few years to learn how to play a string instrument.

28. My top five On Repeat songs right now are: “Amen” by Toderick Hall, “Preacher” by Years & Years, “Tell It To My Heart” by MEDUZA ft Hozier, “STAR WALKIN’” by Lil Nas X, and “I’ve Been Waiting” by Lil Peep, ILOVEMAKONNEN and Fall Out Boy.

29. H-E-B is the best grocery store and I will not take any questions. If you know, you know.

30. The Mummy (1999) is the reason I was obsessed with ancient Egypt and why I’m bisexual. That entire cast was just *heart eyes*. 10/10 would smooch them all with consent.

31. I make coffee every morning, even if I’m sick and can’t drink it. One those days I take one sip and just sniff it every now and then until I dump it out.

32. Kindness over niceness, always.

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Happy birthday to me! Hope you enjoyed these random things. Thank y’all for being here and continuing to read my words.

Until next time
-A